Study of dielectric properties of strontium tartrate tetrahydrate crystals

Single crystals of SrC₄H₄O_6.4H ₂O (SrT) have been grown in sol-gel method at room temperature using the slow diffusion process. Dielectric constant (K), dielectric loss (tan δ) and electrical conductivity (σ) of SrT crystals are measured from room temperature to 673 K in the frequency range 10 KHz to 10 MHz. The effect of the applied frequency on the dielectric constant and the dielectric loss are investigated. As a function of temperature with dielectric constant results show that two phase transition occur at ~410 K and ~520 K, which are probably due to the decomposition of the tetrahydration of water molecules and the structural changes of tartrate ions. The variation of dielectric loss with temperature have been measured. It is observed that the electrical conductivity behaviour is different in the low and high temperature region. The activation energy of the low and high temperature regions are calculated and found to be 0.23 e.V. and 0.17 e.V